Muscles worked
What the barbell row trains
Tap a muscle to see just that one and what it does in the lift.
Before the first rep
How to set up
- 01
Bar over midfoot. Stand with the bar over the middle of your feet, feet about hip width apart and toes pointed slightly out.
- 02
Grip. Take an overhand grip a little wider than shoulder width, so your hands sit just outside your legs. Wrap your thumbs around the bar.
- 03
Get the bar up. Deadlift the bar to standing with a flat back, or take it from a rack set at mid-thigh height.
- 04
Hinge. Unlock your knees and push your hips back until your torso is near 45 degrees, or lower if you can keep a flat back. You should feel a stretch in your hamstrings, and the bar hangs below your shoulders at arm's length.
- 05
Brace. Take a big breath into your belly, brace your trunk, and set your neck in line with your back, eyes on the floor a few feet ahead.
Step by step
How to do the barbell row
- Torso angle holds; no standing up to pull
- Arms straight, bar under the shoulders
Row 1s → Squeeze 1s → Lower 2s → Hang 0.7s
Hatching marks the highlighted muscle groups.
- 01
Start the pull. Pull your shoulder blades back slightly, then drive your elbows up and back toward your hips.
- 02
Row to the ribs. Pull the bar in a straight line until it touches your lower ribs or upper belly. Keep your wrists straight and the bar close to your thighs on the way up.
- 03
Squeeze. At the top, squeeze your shoulder blades together for a moment. Your torso angle should not have changed.
- 04
Lower. Lower the bar under control until your arms are straight again, letting your shoulder blades spread a little at the bottom.
- 05
Reset and repeat. Breathe and re-brace at the bottom if you need to, then start the next rep without lifting your chest. After the last rep, stand up with a flat back or lower the bar to the floor.
Cues to say in your head
- Flat back, hips back
- Elbows to your hips
- Bar to your ribs
- Hold your torso angle
- Squeeze, then lower
- Still hips
Fix these first
Common mistakes
Standing up as you pull
Keep your torso at the same angle for the whole set. If your chest rises a lot each rep, the weight is too heavy.
Using your hips to swing the bar
Hold your hips still and let your back do the work. Lower the load until every rep starts from a dead hang without a hip jerk.
Rounding your back
Brace before each rep and keep your chest proud. If you cannot hold a flat back, raise your torso slightly or use less weight.
Pulling to your chest or neck
Row to your lower ribs or upper belly. Pulling high tends to flare the elbows and shifts the work away from the lats.
Short, choppy reps
Lower until your arms are straight and pull until the bar touches your body. A full range of motion trains the whole back.
Shrugging your shoulders up
Think about pulling your elbows back, not your shoulders up toward your ears.
Stay safe
The barbell row loads your lower back while you are bent over, so build up slowly and stop the set when you can no longer hold a flat back. To end a rep you cannot finish, lower the bar under control and set it on the floor by bending your knees, or stand up with it and rack it. Use plates that put the bar at a sensible starting height, and keep the area around you clear. Stop and get checked by a professional if you feel sharp pain, pain that runs down a leg, or pain that lasts after training.
Programming
Sets, reps and how much weight
| Goal | Sets | Reps | Load | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Strength | 3 to 5 | 4 to 6 | 80–87% 1RM | 2 to 3 min |
| Muscle | 3 to 4 | 8 to 12 | 65–77% 1RM | 1.5 to 2 min |
| Endurance | 2 to 3 | 12 to 15 | 55–65% 1RM | 1 to 1.5 min |
Plan your next session
Put in a recent set. You get working weights for your goal, a warm-up and the plates to load.
Estimated 1RM 216 lb
Muscle sets
140–165lb
3 to 4 sets of 8 to 12 reps, 1.5 to 2 min rest. The most common range for rows. Squeeze at the top and lower under control.
Warm up to 155 lb
Tap a set to see its plates.
45 + 10
Estimates use the Epley formula and work best from sets of 3 to 8 reps. Treat them as a starting point and adjust by how the first working set moves.
Questions
Barbell Row questions
What muscles does the barbell row work?
Mainly the lats, the muscles between your shoulder blades (the mid traps and rhomboids) and the rear delts. The biceps and forearms help pull, and your lower back, hamstrings and glutes hold the bent over position.
How far should I bend over for a barbell row?
Most coaches teach a torso near 45 degrees or lower, with a flat back and hips pushed back. Bending closer to parallel lengthens the pull and makes it more like a Pendlay row; standing more upright usually lets you lift more but shortens the range.
What is a Pendlay row?
A Pendlay row is a barbell row done with your torso near parallel to the floor, where the bar starts from a dead stop on the floor every rep and is pulled explosively to your lower chest or upper belly. Because momentum cannot help, it is usually done with a little less weight than a regular row.
What is a Yates row?
A Yates row is a more upright barbell row with an underhand grip, elbows tight to your sides, pulled to your lower belly. The upright torso tends to let you handle more weight with less stress on your lower back, though the range is shorter, and the underhand grip brings in more biceps.
Should I use an overhand or underhand grip?
Both work. An overhand grip is the standard and tends to keep the elbows a bit wider for more upper back work; an underhand grip keeps the elbows tight to your sides and uses more biceps. Pick one and progress it.
How many sets and reps of barbell rows should I do?
For muscle, 3 to 4 sets of 8 to 12 reps is a good default. For strength, use 3 to 5 sets of 4 to 6 reps, as long as your torso stays still.
Train in Protocol
Log your barbell row by voice. Protocol tracks the rest.
Your last session shows up before every set, warm-ups and plates are worked out for you, and your coach sees every lift next to your sleep and recovery.